On Friday, METRO unveiled a bus shelter at Northside High School memorializing Near Northside resident Josue Flores and commemorating what would have been his graduation from the school in May of 2022.

Josue's family, Northside High School faculty and students, community partners and METRO leadership attended the event to celebrate Josue's life and legacy.

"It has been more than six years since 11-year-old Josue Flores was killed while walking home from school," said METRO Board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran. "It was a nightmare that no parent should have ever experienced and no community should have ever endured."

The bus shelter project began after an administrator at the school contacted METRO about getting bus passes for students, which became a larger endeavor through the Adopt-A-Stop Program. Participants in the program volunteer to pick up litter in the area and have the option to make general improvements around their stop.

"This is a true testament to what partnerships can accomplish when they put their minds together," said Northside High School Principal Cecilia Gonzales.

Bus Shelter Close Up

The new bus stop design features the Northside logo and a panel with Josue's picture and a tribute to his legacy.

"This project was deeply personal for the many people at METRO who worked to make it a reality— people who are parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles," said METRO President and CEO Tom Lambert. "Josue was a bright and gifted student and his life left an indelible imprint on this community."

Josue's imprint can be seen through initiatives like Safe Walk Home, a volunteer-based neighborhood patrol program created to ensure all students are safe walking to and from school.